Sairastuneet

Sairastuneet is a Finnish noun formed from the verb sairastua, meaning to fall ill. It refers to people who have become ill and is typically used to denote a group rather than an individual. The standard singular form is sairastunut and the plural form is sairastuneet; it can function as a noun referring to people, or as part of a noun phrase in sentences.

In use, sairastuneet commonly appears in public health, epidemiology, and journalism to describe the population affected by illness. It indicates those who have reported or experienced illness, regardless of whether they are receiving medical care, as opposed to terms that specify care level such as patients (potilaat) or to those who have recovered or died (parantuneet, kuolleet). The word is suitable for both formal and informal contexts when discussing disease impact or trends.

Etymologically, sairastuneet is the plural past participle of sairastua, adapted to function as a noun. Inflection follows standard Finnish patterns, with forms such as sairastuneiden (genitive plural) and sairastuneita (partitive plural) among others. The term emphasizes the status of illness within a group rather than the hospital or treatment setting.

See also: sairastuminen, sairastua, parantuneet, kuolleet.